Happy *Diwali* ( Deepavali) !!!!

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna! Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and His Bhaktas,

A very very happy *Deepavali* ( Diwali) to all Bhaktas of group . May Bhagavan Sri Krishna shower His choicest blessings on you all, on this auspicious day !!!

Diwali or Deepavali is a most significant festival in Hinduism and it's offshoots like , Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, . Adherents of these religions celebrate Diwali as the Festival of Lights. They light *Diyas* —cotton string wicks inserted in small clay pots filled with oil—to signify victory of good over the evil.

As per Hindu calendar, the five day festival of Diwali is centered on the new moon day that ends the month of Ashwin and begins the month of Kartika, beginning on the 13th day of the dark half of Ashwin (Ashwin 28th) and ending on the 2nd day of the bright half of Kartika (Kartika 2nd). The main day of celebration varies regionally.

Diwali is the abbreviation of the Sanskrit word "Deepavali" Deepa meaning light and Avali, meaning a row.It means a row of lights and indeed illumination forms its main attraction. It symbolises that age-old culture of India which teaches us to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge. Diwali, the festival of lights, even today in this modern world, projects the rich and glorious past and teaches us to uphold the true values of life specified in the Vedas.

In Hinduism, across many parts of India and Nepal, it is the homecoming of Sri Rama after a 14-year exile in the forest and his victory over Ravana. The people of Ayodhya (the capital of his kingdom) welcomed Rama by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (dÄ­pa), thus its name : Dipawali . Over time, this word transformed into Deepavali in Hindi and Dipawali in Nepali, but still retained its original form in South and East Indian Languages. In Dravidian languages it is called as Deepavali and the same is used in Malaysia and Singapore.

Spiritual significance

While Diwali is popularly known as the "festival of lights", the most significant spiritual meaning is "the awareness of the inner light".

Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the *Atman* which is a finite manifestation of *Paramatman* ( Supreme God) . Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Diwali is the celebration of this inner light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the individual to one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With the realization of the *Atman* comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings *Ananda* (inner joy or bliss).

The *gunas* are the underlying forces or tendencies which one needs to have unaffected, direct relation with in order to find effectiveness and righteousness in life: they are lines of potential and illuminate thought and action, thus the inner meaning of Diwali being the festival of lights.

Diwali celebrates this through festive fireworks, lights, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship. While the story behind Diwali varies from region to region, the essence is the same - to rejoice in the inner light (Atman) or the underlying reality of all things (Paramatman).

Hindus have several significant events associated with it :

Return of Rama to Ayodhya : Diwali also celebrates the return of Sri Rama, King of Ayodhya , with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya after a 14 year exile, and a war in which he killed Ravana. People of Ayodhya lit ghee lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness. Since Ram traveled from South India to his kingdom in North India, he passed through the south earlier. This is the reason why the festival is celebrated a day earlier in South India. Diwali usually comes 19 or 20 days after Dasara.

 

The Killing of Narakasura: Celebrated as Narak Chaturdashi, one day before Diwali day, it commemorates the killing of Narakasura, an evil demon who created havoc. This demon was killed by Bhagavan Sri Krishna in the company of His wife Satyabhama . This happened in the Dwapara Yuga during this time of Krishna's avatar .

Defeating Indra : Govardhan Puja is celebrated the day after Diwali . It is the day Sri Krishna defeated Indra, the deity of thunder and rain. Sri Krishna saw huge preparations for the annual offering to Lord Indra and questioned His father Nanda about it. He debated with the villagers about what their 'Dharma' truly was. They were farmers, they should do their duty and concentrate on farming and protection of their cattle. He continued to say that all human beings should merely do their 'Karma', to the best of their ability and not pray for natural phenomenon. The villagers were convinced by Krishna, and did not proceed with the special puja (prayer). Indra was then angered, and flooded the village. Krishna then lifted Mt Govardhan and held it up as protection to his people and cattle from the rain. Indra finally accepted defeat and recognized Sri Krishna as the supreme God of Gods. This aspect of Krishna's life is mostly glossed over but it set up the basis of the 'karma' philosophy later detailed in the Bhagavat Gita.

Maha-Lakshmi Pooja

Diwali marks the end of the harvest season in most of India and Nepal. Farmers are thankful to Goddess Maha-Lakshmi for the plentiful bounty of the year gone by, and pray to Devi for a good harvest for the year to come. Traditionally this marked the closing of accounts for businesses dependent on the agrarian cycle, and the last major celebration before winter. The deity of Maha-Lakshmi symbolizes wealth and prosperity, and her blessings are invoked for a good year ahead. There are two legends that associate the worship of Maha-Lakshmi on this day. According to the first legend, on this day, Lakshmi emerged from Kshira Sagar, the Ocean of Milk, during the great churning of the oceans, Samudra manthan . The second legend (more popular in western India) relates to the Vamana avatar of Bhagavan Maha-Vishnu, the incarnation He took to kill the demon king Bali . Thereafter it was on this day, that, Maha-Vishnu came back to his abode, the Vaikuntha ; so those who worship Lakshmi on this day, get the benefit of her benevolent mood, and are blessed with mental, physical and material well-being .

 

As per spiritual references, on this day "Lakshmi-panchayatan" enters the Universe. Sri Vishnu, Sri Indra, Sri Kuber, Sri Gajendra and Sri Lakshmi are elements of this "panchayatan" (a group of five).

In South India

 

In Southern India, narakasura vratha is the main day, with celebration with firecrackers at dawn after lakshmi puja.

Deepavali is one of the seven most important festivals of Andhra Pradesh. Deepavali festival is very popular among the children for the joy of bursting fire crakers. Special areas to sell fire crackers are set up in all towns and cities including bigger villages. There are some customs followed such as buying new clothes for this festival. Buying new home or vehicles such as cars and trucks is considered auspicious. Special sweets are made too. delicious sweets are made during Deepavali which will not be available at any other time. Meat and Alcohol are strictly forbidden. Tradition has it that Hindus gift sweets during Deepavali. Some areas host local stage story telling called Hari Katha. Some areas may put a huge Narakasura dummy made with fire crackers. This will be burst by a person wearing the dress of Bhagavan Sri Krishna and a costume of Satyabhama, the consort of Sri Krishna who joined together to kill the demon Narakasura ; an event that is celebrated as Deepavali. The evening of Deepavali is a colourful sight to watch the evening sky.

The main festival in Karnataka is on the first day -Narakachaturdashi and third day- Balipadyami, with no celebration on the middle day of Amavasye. The festivities begin a day, during which water is stored (following the tradition, since running water was not available with ease, and it had to be carried from nearby ponds and lakes) for the next days Oil bath in the early hours of the morning. Then the entire house is cleaned and new clothes are purchased for the entire family (signifies becoming a new/better person by giving up darkness within us) which is followed by lighting of oil lamps around the house and bursting firecrackers.

The third day is celebrated as Bali Padyami as the day of Lord Vamana's victory over 'Mahabali . This festival is greatly celebrated in Karnataka.

In Tamil Nadu and Kerala it is celebrated as Deepavali. People celebrate this with lighting deepams, firecrackers, wearing new dresses and Sweets. It is a big festival in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They Take Oil bath early in the morning and poosai. After that Crackers and a traditional Visit to the Temple.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya !!!!

 

SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev